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Night Whispers - October 23

“At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.” NKJV.

Non loquimur sed vivimus

And she died.

The death of Dorcas, the old Christian gazelle, had a profound impact upon the community in which she lived. So much so, that the saints decided that they would go and fetch an apostle to see what could be done! Peter and his entourage later turn up to the room of the deathbed scene, to find it packed with people all a-weeping and a-wailing, each one clutching their garment and saying, “Look! She made this for me. Sat up all night she did, God bless ‘er.” And another with one hand on Peter’s shoulder and the other pointing to the cloak, neatly folded and well cared for she holds in her hand, “Look! She went without food for a week to buy me this, then tailored the cloth to fit my old round shoulders.” And another, then another, all clothed and warm, all pointing and praising, all weeping and watching just what Peter might do for them. So, Peter raises Dorcas from the dead and presents her to them alive. Her most necessary of serving and sewing days apparently still not over. Now I don’t know if Dorcas was happy about this turn of events, but all who loved her and had benefited from her full life of good deeds toward them for the glory of God, well, they were ecstatic!

My mother died two years before I became a Christian. Whilst serving in HMS Collingwood down on Portsmouth I was given to number of a brigadeer on the Salvation army, a retired old woman who I had never met. I rang the number, introduced myself and was immediately told, “Ah yes, I met your mum before she died and led her to the Lord. Don’t worry, she’s with Jesus now.” I was stunned! How did this happen, how had I not known about it?

The old woman that had given me the number to call was my next-door neighbour. A grand old gal called Olive Hinchcliffe, a former tambourine basher herself, captain I think? My old mum was a hard worker, but bless her heart, she couldn’t sew for toffee, so it was this lady who lived next door to us who for had years, sewn up the holes in my trousers, altered the leg length on my school uniforms, bought me white shirts to wear for school and the most amazing text books at the beginning of each term. For years she had prayed for us and for me especially and for years had drip, drip, drip watered the parched and hard heart of my old mum’s soul. When she was dying, the hardness had been so softened over the years that it was easy for Olive to introduce her brigadier friend to my mother’s own deathbed scene. Olive Hinchcliffe had never shared the Gospel with me or my mother, but her good works and prayers brought us both in the Kingdom of the Saviour she loved most dearly and honoured most profoundly.

In Joppa, another old woman, full of good works had drip, drip, drip watered the hearts of many people in the city. When Peter arrived and raised her from the dead and shared the source of such power with parched hearts now most thoroughly moistened, the rain of God was absorbed and life sprang anew, the tale of which, was carried far and wide from this great sea port of Joppa.

Two old ladies, Dorcas and Olive. Their motto was “non liquimur sed vivimus” – We do not speak great things but we live them! What’s your motto tonight?

Listen: “...and turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.” - (Acts 9:40-43NKJV)

Pray: Father, bring such women into our lives and make them honoured in our churches. Father, turn us into such old women we pray, that we might follow their hard working example and not only talk the talk, but more importantly walk the talk as well. In Jesus name I ask it, amen.

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